§ 20. Mr. Moateasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has received any proposals to deal with the oversupply position of the apple and pear market, particularly as a result of imports from France; and what response he has made.
§ 22. Mr. John Wellsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the Selborne report of the top fruit working group.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerI have been presented with a copy of the recent report of the top fruit working group chaired by Lord Selborne. It is a good report and contains wide-ranging recommendations on apples and pears, including ways of avoiding the over supply of fruit. I have assured the group that I wish to see its industry prosper, and we are consulting urgently on what further initiatives may be possible.
§ 49. Mr. Colin Shepherdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the prospects for the top fruit sector of the horticulture industry.
§ Mr. WigginI see no reason why the prospects for the top fruit sector should not be favourable, provided that the698W industry's present commendable efforts to tackle its problems continue to be pursued vigorously.